When you're second-guessing yourself before communicating with someone, you probably have reservations based on their past reactions.
When you do need to communicate with such people, you may need to tailor your messages to the expectation of how they might react.
You work with a variety of people and you won't always get along with everyone. Telling yourself, "I don't engage in office politics, I tell it like it is," is a flawed tactic that might just cause more trouble.
When you stick your foot in your mouth, all you can do is apologize and explain it was a genuine mistake.
Ask your contacts in any new environment.
- Are there sensitive topics that I shouldn't discuss without talking to you first?
- Can you draw an organizational chart for me?
- Who should my main point of contact be for this project?
- Is there a certain process I should follow for this task? Is it okay if I talk to this person first?
- With whom should I be engaging?
With a clear understanding of how they work and are their organizational hierarchy, you're less likely to do something that will cause unnecessary drama or miscommunication.
If you are new to an office environment you should be listening 95% of the time. Ask a lot of questions to get a good understanding of how things work.
The thing with office politics is that you don't know what the trigger words are.
Every office has trigger words that get everyone up in a frenzy once someone blurts them out.
Unless 100% of the recipients will find your information useful, only reply directly to the sender.
"Reply all" is too often the cause of office drama. Always be sure to check if you've accidentally clicked "reply all" before sending a sensitive message.
- Best time to start drama (if there is a "best" time): Monday afternoon.
- Worst time to start drama: Friday afternoon.
If you find yourself in a heated battle, try and find a way to collaborate and find a middle ground to deal with the issue at hand.
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It’s important however, to realize that there can be serious consequences when personalities clash:
- Stress – having to deal with personality clashes causes a great deal of tension and anxiety. Being in a constant state of alert, preparing for the next unpleasant interaction, can cause both physical and mental strain.
- Lower productivity – when members of the team are in conflict with each other, that conflict has a negative effect on the entire project.
When workplace drama affects you, it can become an insidious cloud that permeates your day-to-day.
Be mindful and ask yourself, "What is actually going on here?" Focus on the facts and avoid what you think happened. Know that you can't control how you feel, only how you react.